Judy and Peter Slavovsky’s home in Columbia County has all the usual signs of an empty nest: Their three children have grown and flown, the driveway is less crowded and television use is down considerably.

At 63, the Martinez couple still enjoy cooking for three and take turns providing math and history help onhigh school homework assignments.

The Slavovskys, married 40 years, have lived in the Augusta area since 1987, and for nearly two decades have opened their home and hearts to foreign-exchange students from Russia, China, Bulgaria, Germany and Italy.

Former Chief Gary Jones was fired as the director of the Grovetown Department of Public Safety.

"Well friends the attorney for Grovetown and the City Administrator just called me up to City Hall to tell me that my services are no longer needed as the Director of Public Safety," Jones posted on his personal Facebook page at about 11:30 a.m. "I asked why and no response was given."

No one was injured in a crash involving a school bus in Columbia County on Monday.

County school system Bus No. 102 serving Riverside Middle School was traveling on North Belair Road at Furys Ferry Road at about 2:35 p.m. when a Ford Explorer, driven by 17-year-old Philip McKenzie turned in front of the bus, according to Columbia County sheriff’s Capt. Steve Morris. The bus T-boned the Explorer.

That’s the question on the mind of a group of planners and consultants who are working to come up with a comprehensive development plan for Columbia County that will help guide officials in making decisions about growth over the next two decades.

While the 2015 USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships is the jewel of the Wildwood Games, presented by Zaxby’s, there will be plenty to keep local and national athletes engaged.

The inaugural event a year ago had trail running events in addition to a mountain bike race. Added to this year’s lineup, which takes place on May 2 and May 3, are disc golf and open-water swimming competitions. Randy DuTeau, the Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, has his fingers in all the pies, but implicitly trusts those who are hands-on.

State officials met with a group of Columbia County residents Monday to calm concerns that construction of a 3-mile extension of River Watch Parkway could cause soil and stream contamination and damage personal property, public health and the local environment.

More than 1½ inches of rain last weekend caused floodwater to rise above the foundation of Old Petersburg Road homes, said Lori Greenhill, a Martinez resident who has launched an awareness effort to advocate for homeowners affected by the $35.5-million expansion.

Former Staff Sgt. David Ronald Kitchens, 50, was charged in March 2013 with computer theft and violation of oath by a public officer. He pled guilty to the oath violation and the computer theft charge was dismissed at a hearing at the courthouse in Evans.

Superior Court Judge Sheryl B. Jolly sentenced Kitchens to three years probation and a $300 fine under the First Offender Act.

Columbia County Commission members voted Tuesday to approve a rezoning of property that clears the way for Lights of the South to operate this holiday season.

The rezoning approval, however, is subject to property owner Benjamin Bell’s compliance with several stipulations invoked by county planning officials, including providing proof of proper permitting for some existing structures and ponds.